Video: Email vowing to "name and shame" Hastings councillors for being "pro perversion" referred to police
A "threatening" email sent to Hastings District Councillors by local Destiny Church Pastor Michael Ngahuka vowing to "name and shame" them for being "pro-perversion" if they didn't respond, has been referred to police.
The email was sent to councillors on Friday afternoon by Ngahuka, who is also standing in the Tākitimu Māori ward by-election, ahead of the now-cancelled Rainbow Storytime events at Hastings District Library.
The Taranaki-based drag queen entertainers Coco (Sunita Torrance) and Erika Flash (Daniel Lockett) were due to read children's storybooks at the library today.
Instead, after council cancelled the events yesterday afternoon "due to concerns the young attendees could not be kept safe," a Love And Peace Action Event organised by Nevertheless Charitable Trust was held by those for Rainbow Storytime.
"The public wants to know if you are Pro Perversion?" Ngahuka wrote in the email, which Hawke's Bay App has seen.
"Meaning, supportive of the Drag Show Rainbow storytime for children event that has been advertised at the Hastings District Library, next Wednesday, 27 March 10:30am,3:30pm and 6pm.
"Due to public request I will be naming and shaming those councillors who are PRO PERVERSION, for the public to see!.Please inform me if you are for or against?"
Ngahuka wrote there was "no neutral stance on this matter" and the councillors who "choose not to comment" by 5pm that same day (March 22) would be deemed as "Pro Perversion"
A police spokesperson confirmed they were aware of the email and were making "initial enquiries".
But Ngahuka says the email wasn't a threat.
“At the end of the day, all I wanted to know was who was for it and who was against it.”
He sent three emails; one on March 15 to which he received a "generic response" from Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, one on March 22 and another on March 23 followed by physical letters dropped to council on March 25.
Ngahuka said he had received no engagement from the council and believed it was pushing a “narrative” that Destiny Church was spreading disinformation, which he said was not the case.
“It’s really just about asking why this is happening, who pays for this, and the process so they can help us understand why this decision was made."
A Hastings District Council spokesperson says "a number of councillors were upset at the content of the letter and the threat to label them pro-perversion".
Hazlehurst said they were "really saddened and disappointed" their library program has been "jeopardised".
"We're proud to be an incredibly inclusive community of all people. And to have the Destiny Church put in misinformation about the program has bee
n incredibly upsetting. And sending us what we consider as threatening emails, asking councillors their position on a program that's been in place, say, since 2020.""This is our community program. People choose whether they want to go to the program or not. And it's enjoyed by and loved by many families. But to have these cruel threats and by the Destiny Church has been just very disturbing."
She acknowledged it wasn't just Hastings, but around the country, with a similar event in Rotorua having to be cancelled last week.
While council is not putting in extra safety measures for elected members, the Hastings District Council spokesperson said they did increase their Kaitiaki and City Assist presence at the library today, and have "reiterated with staff the key strategies for managing difficult interactions".
"In addition, we have provided counselling support - the ferocity of social media posts and this situation has been difficult for a number of staff."
Today, she attended the counter-protest during her lunch hour.
"I think today was the most amazing celebration. I said to our library team, 'This is better than the program. This is everybody out in Civic Square dancing and singing and celebrating our Rainbow community'. It was uplifting and joyful and actually showed total unity."
"We'll have a program like this in the future, and we'll celebrate Pride Month soon in June. And so we're not going to be stopped and certainly not celebrate our Rainbow community because everybody's included. Everyone makes up our community, and that's what makes us unique and different."
A police spokesperson said police were in attendance at Hastings Library today "to ensure the safety of all involved" and there were "no issues or arrests".
